Elephant Seal Male

San Simeon, CA

Elephant-Seals (Mirounga angustirostris). In the 1880's northern elephant seals were thought to be extinct, harvested for their blubber. Adult males have a large trunk, or proboscis, which they inflate to intimidate. They can weigh almost 3 tons and are three to seven times larger than mature females. Both male and female are renowned for their long migration distances and their incredible diving abilities: diving to depths of 5,000 feet and able to remain submerged for more than an hour. Their total estimated population in 1999 was around 150,000, between USA and Mexico. Photos taken at San Simeon, California ... in January and February 2007.